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Sensory Analysis Evalution Sheet

Hi all,
Our brewery is currently working on expanding and formalizing our sensory analysis program. There is a fair amount of good info I have come across from the ASBC and Siebel among others, but I am looking for a good template to use for tasting panel members to fill out. If anyone is willing to share the sheet they use or mention what kind of format/parameters they include as a starting point, that would be extremely helpful. Was thinking about using something similar to the BJCP score sheet, but wanted something a little more focused that would be easy and quick to work through and that had a high level of detail. Any information is much appreciated, thanks!

I'm not sure I could be of much help but I was wondering what you are doing right now for your sensory program as we are also looking to improve our sensory program.

We haven't really done a lot of formal sensory training. We are running weekly panels that include experienced tasters (brewers) and non-experienced tasters. We run panels for comparing storage conditions (ambient vs. cold), different packaging runs of the same batch, fresh vs. beer stored for different time periods (1 month, 2, etc.), also for beer at the end of it's predicted shelf life vs. beer past its shelf life (usually 1 month out).

We mainly use the triangle test and a paired comparison test. I have just started using the duo-trio test (comparing 2 samples to a reference sample) for a formal shelf life/drink by study and like that test as well. I plan to include it in our regular weekly panels as well.

I am more than happy to share our forms with you if they would be any use.

So far our program has been very informal. For releasing beer we do a simple go/no go tasting from a few select people. A few of us have done off flavor training with various programs, and we have started training other in the brewery as well with one of the Siebel spike kits. I would like to start doing some of the tests that you are using such as the duo trio and triangle test, as well as simple attribute detection tests. I would be very interested to see the sheet you use, I think I likely will end up just making a new sheet for our use in house, and would be happy to send that to you as well when it is done. Right now I'm focused on the panel selection and training aspects, but want to have a good plan ready for when I have a solid regular panel that I can depend on for testing every week. Thanks for sharing that info about your current program, interesting to see what others are doing!

Our forms are very informal and quite simple. You can change them to whatever you need them to be. I'll send an email to you both later today. My email is wfinn@wildrosebrewery.com just so you know it's not spam coming through.

We are planning to do some formal training during the fall and winter with kits. I am also planning to do basic training as well to see how people are at with different concentrations of the basic tastes (sweet, salt, bitter, sour and umami).

Weber Scientific has also started selling a kit as well. We are going to give this a try. Here is the link.

Thanks for sending the forms, they will definitely be helpful to us! I didn't know about the Weber Scientific kit, I've used the Siebel and Flavoractiv ones before but not Aroxa. We are going to do some basic triangle tests today and a couple flavor spikes just to get started, I'm excited to get this thing moving forward. I wish that the kits weren't so expensive, they are worth it but definitely pricey. I'm also doing some spikes using the BJCP standards for the flavors that they include.

Few years later...

Originally Posted by wrbQC

Our forms are very informal and quite simple. You can change them to whatever you need them to be. I'll send an email to you both later today. My email is wfinn@wildrosebrewery.com just so you know it's not spam coming through.

We are planning to do some formal training during the fall and winter with kits. I am also planning to do basic training as well to see how people are at with different concentrations of the basic tastes (sweet, salt, bitter, sour and umami).

Weber Scientific has also started selling a kit as well. We are going to give this a try. Here is the link.

I know this thread was from a while back but I am at a really small brewpub that is new and just starting out sensory training. I would love any forms anyone is willing to share for some starting direction. ricekmr@gmail.com

I know this thread was from a while back but I am at a really small brewpub that is new and just starting out sensory training. I would love any forms anyone is willing to share for some starting direction. ricekmr@gmail.com

Thank you so much!

These don't really rise to the level of a sensory program, but I bought some of these journals from 33 Books in Portland Oregon, and they're really handy for informal notes, especially at festivals and whatnot. They fit easily in a shirt pocket. But since you're a really small brewpub, it might be ok to start with:https://33books.com/collections/books/products/33-beers

These don't really rise to the level of a sensory program, but I bought some of these journals from 33 Books in Portland Oregon, and they're really handy for informal notes, especially at festivals and whatnot. They fit easily in a shirt pocket. But since you're a really small brewpub, it might be ok to start with:https://33books.com/collections/books/products/33-beers